Electrical system for displaying pictures and communications by means of a lamp screen



ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING PICTURES AND COMMUNICATIONS BY MEANS OFA LAMP SCREEN Filed Sept. 13, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 NOV. 12, 1940-ROSENBERG 2,221,525

CDC) Z/VVENhj/P K, Kama 35x5 NOV. 12, 1940. K ROSENBERG 2,221,525

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING PICTURES AND COMMUNICATIONS BY MEANS OFA LAMP SCREEN Filed Sept. 13, 1955 3 Sheets-"Sheet ,2

49 5s 4s 1 as 58 56 .57 Fcg.7

Nov. 12, 1940. K. ROSENBERG 2. 1.525

' ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING'PICTURES AND COMMUNICATIONS BY MEANSOF A LAMP SCREEN Filed Sept. 13, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 V O o I 7O ggr 1O'67 F I 7/ 87 72,

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A ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FORDISi'LAYING PIC. TUBES AND COMMUNICATIONS BY MEANS OFALAMP KurtlbosenbergrNew York. N. Y 8 y meane assignments,

to American Epok Inc.,- New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York IApplication September '13, 1935, Serial No. 40,358 In Germany'september18, 1931;

- Z'Ciaims. (01. 177-346) This invention relates to improvements inanelectrical system for displaying pictures and communications by meansof a lamp screen the lamps of which are controlled by light responsivedevices such as photo electric cells; particularly the invention relatesto improvements of ar'-.

rangements as-described in my co-pendin'g applications Ser. Nos.692,884, 754,572 and 21,332 (Series ex.' 1935) which applications havebecome respectively Patents 2,069,851, Feb. 9, .1937; 2,119,870, June'7, 1938: and 2,121,987, June 28',-

- It is an object of this invention to increase the eiiiciency of thesource of lightin the projector used to illuminate the light responsivedevices.

It is another object of the invention to increase the variety ofdisplays at a given configuration of the picture frame.

It is a further object of the invention to vary w. the configurations ofa display during operation withoutvarying the configuration ofthe'picture frame itself. I

These and other objects of the invention will more fully be understoodfrom the following dellscription with reference to the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows in a diagrammatical way ageneral arrangement as used by the invention; Figure 2 a film gate of aprojector; Figure 3 a film gate arranged ac-. 80 cording to one featureof the invention, and Figure 4 a lamp field controlled thereby;'Figure 5another picture frame according to the, invention, and Figure 6 a lampfield controlled thereby; Figures '7, 8 and 9 other lamp field confi 85urations to be controlled'according to the invention; Figure 10 awiringarrangement for controlling thelamp fields according to Figures7-9:

Figure 11 another wiring'arrangement adapted for such control; Figure 12a particular feature so of a film adapted for the purposes of theinvention; and Figure 13 another wiring arrangement for controlling thelamp, fields according to this ll m icture or stencil itself may bemanuiw.

tured' in any desired way. For advertising purposes, however, with whichthe invention is primarily concerned, afilm may be used, manufacturedinthe well-known manner of animated cartoons. v 5 ,While for thepurposes'of thisinvention pictures and stencils of any kind and colourmay be used, preferably those consisting of black and white-elements areutilized which, when projected upon light responsive;- devices; eitherilluminate 10 or darken the latter. I

According to my previous inventions described in my co-pendingapplications mentioned above, these light responsive devices or photocells 20, 2|, Figure 1 of the drawings, are arranged iii-15 banks uponwhich the, pictures are projected by means of a projector 22 throughwhich the film is moved. Each of these photo cells controls a switchingdevice or a pair of such devices 23, 24,

which may be of any convenienttype, but form '20 preferably gridcontrolled gas discharge devices, each of which is connectedin serieswith a source V of electric current and a lamp group 90,91, be-

longing to the lamp screen 92. Each such lamp group may consist of oneof morelamps. By illuminating the photo cell, the switching device. mayeither switch in or switch out the lamp group connected in seriestherewith, depending from the nature of the switching device and-theelectric connection between it and the photo cell. 3

The picture or stencil used for controlling the illumination of thelight responsive devices consists of a number of elements or picturepoints equal to the number of the lamp groups, to be controlled. '35

Up to now these picture'points have been arranged relative to each otherin a way corresponding to that of the lamp groups to be controlled inthe screen. Therefore, if the display had a rectangular configuration ofa certain rao tio of sides, then the picture frame had to be of thesame-configuration. Referring to Figure 2, v the light spot 2! ofcircular circumference is shown, formed by the projection of the sourceof light onto the film gate 28 of the projector. This film gate has ausual ratio of sides of 3:4.

' Thus, as shown in Figure 2, substantial parts of light are lost,indicated at 27, 28 29, 30 in F18" ure 2. Supposing that a lamp bank orfield is used for the displayhaving a rectangular shape, so the ratio ofsides of which isabout 3:4 (thesamc as that of the film gate), then allthe light pene'-' tr ating the film gate is utilized'sin'ce the pictureprojected can fill the film gate, If, however, a longrectannflar bank oflamps is needed, the

\ picture to be transmitted would have to have a.

configuration shown at 3| in Figure 2, whereby the major part of lightbeam would be lost.

- It is obvious that the maximum amount of light penetrates theprojector, if a square shaped picture is projected. In such case, Figure3, the light spot indicated in dottedlines is filled by the squarepicture in away giving the best efllclency.

According to the invention in cases in which the configuration of thelamp field deviates substantially from a square, the picture to beprojected and the filed of lamps to be illuminated is sub-divided into aplurality of portions. Taking the case that a lamp field of theconfiguration shown in Figure 4 is to be controlled, then it issub-divided in two portions, 32, 33. In the picture or stencil, portionsof similar configuration are provided for, but not side by side as inFigure 4, but one above theother as shown at 32', 33', in Figure 3. Thebank of light responsive devices then has to have the same configurationas the picture in Figure 3, i. e., it must be approximately square. Theelectrical arrangement, i. e., the connection between the switchingdevices and the controlling light responsive devices has then to be suchthat the upper portion of the photo cell bank controls the left portionof the lamp filed in Figure. 4, while the lower portion of the photocell bank controls the right portion of the lamp field in Figure 4. Apicture point 34 in the upper left corner of, the square part-pictureaccording to Figure 3 will then illuminate a photo-cell arranged in theleft upper corner of the photo cell bank, and this photo cell willcontrol the lamp group 35 in the upper left corner in Figure 4. Apicture point in the lower right cor- I ner 33 of the upper portion 32'in the picture will control a photo cell in corresponding position ofthe photo cell bank which switches in and out a lamp group positioned at31 in Figure 4. A picture point 33 of the picture will control a photocell in corresponding position of the photo cell bank and-the lamp group33 of the screen inFig- .ure'4, while the picture point 40 in the lowerright corner of the picture will control similarly the lamp group 4| ofthe display according to Figure 4.

I Obviously in the same way other configurations of lamp banks may beilluminated at a better yield of light offered by the projector as hasbeen possible until now. So, for instance, a configuration of, the lampscreen according to Figure 6 may be obtained by sub-dividing it-intothree portions (separated in the drawings by dotted lines) 42,-", 44,and positioning in the picture to be' projected the portions 42,44,-above or below the 7 portion 43. In this way a picture frame maycon--v 'sist of the lower portion 43' and the two up portions 42', 44',as shown in Figure 5.

-In both exemplifications an arrow 45, 43, re-

spectlvely is shown. In the feature according to Figures 3, 4, the arrowis sub-divided in the sten-' cil intwo parts 45', 45", while the arrow48 is sub-divided into three parts, 46', '43", 46".

Although the nature ofthe display is immaterial, there maybe mentionedthat in a con-' n figuration according to Figure 6, the middle part 43may for instance show a picture, while the two side parts 42, 44 mayshow texts.

By sub-dividing the lamp field and 'corresp'ondingly the picture frameand by re-arranging the portions of the picture into the desired.display by means of suitable electric connections between thephoto-cells, the switching devices,

the source of current and the lamps, there may be obtained variousdesired effects, at the highest efilciency of the source of light.

So, for instance, a lamp field may be provided for, having the outerconfiguration 41, 48, 49, 50, SI, 52, 53, I54, Figure 7. The field maybe-sub-divided in portions 55, 56, 51, 58, 59. There may be desired todisplay first a field having the configuration 41, 48, 53, 54,consisting of the portions 55, 59, 58, and being of oblong shape, and,subsequently, another field having a square shape 50, BI, 80, 8i, andconsisting of the portions 59, 56, 51. In order to display these twodifferent configurations, a stencil may be used having a square formsimilar to'the square 50, SI, 60, 6|, in Figure 7. In the same way, thephoto cellbank fills a square shaped field shown in Figure 8, consistingof the lower portions 62, and the two upper portions 63, 64. The devicesof the portion 62 can permanently be connected with the switchingdevices and lamps belonging to the field portion 59, while the devicesbelonging to the field portion 63, 64, are alternately to be connectedeither with the switching devices and lamps belonging to the fieldportions 56, 51, or to the field portions 55, 58, or a switchingarrangement as described hereinafter may be used. Thereby, either thesquare or the oblong rectangular display are shown, the former beingsimilar to that indicated in full lines in Figure 8,

and the latter in full lines in Figure 9. The dotted lines in Figure 8enclose the oblong rectangular field not being illuminated while thesquare display is shown, while in Figure 9 they indicate the squareshape remaining dark, while the rec tangular display is illuminated. 1

Taking, for instance, the case that l000lamps are arrangedinfield 59,and 500' lamps respectively in fields B5, 56, 51, Bleach, then at onetime the 1000 lamps of field 59, and, in addition thereto, either thetwice 500 lamps of the fields 53, 51 or 55, 53, respectively, will beilluminated.

It results therefrom that at all times the same number of lamps will beilluminated, although in different relative positions.

For such control, stencils of the same configuration, namely 01'approximately square form,

can be used and the light of the projector will be utilized with thehighest efilciency. The transformation from a square to a rectangularshape and vice versa has to be done in an electrical for controllingeither' of two difierent configura- J tions are to be difi'erent. I

Referring to the wiring arrangement of Figure 10, lamps 55', I6, 31',53' are shown, each representing one lamp of the plurality of lampsbelonging to the portions 53, 58, 51, 53, respectively, of the lampfield shown in Figure '1. Each of these lamps is controlled by aswitching de- .'vice which may be of any desired mechanical type or, aspreferred by the invention, consists of a grid controlled gas dischargetube. The

anodes 65 of each of these tubes 66, 61, 68, i9,

grids 10 of the tubes 38 and 61 are connected .asaipa's with aphoto-cell '28, while the grids 18 of the devices 88, 88 are connectedwith the photo-cell 2|. The cathodes 12 of all discharge devices areconnected withthe main line 18, while lamps 55',

58' are connected to a main line 18, and the lamps 58', 51' toa'separate main 15. The main line 18 j and the lines 18, 15,respectively, are connected with a source of alternating current 18, bydischarge devices 18, 11. 'These discharge devices are of a similar typeas the other ones, 88, etc.. and provided with anodes 85, cathodes 12,and grids 18. Between each of the grids and cathodes a resistor 1|isarranged. Between each of the a grids and the mains 18, 15,respectively, a suitable source of direct current 18 and photo-cells88,8|. are arranged. 'Ii photo-cell 88 is. illuminated-the gap ofthe'discharge device 18 may become conductive. Supposing that bothphotocells 28. 2|, are illuminated, then each secondhali-wave oi thealternating current of the source 18 may pass the discharge device 18 tothe main 18, and the lamp groups 58', 58", to the discharge'devlces 88,'88, main 18 back to'the source 18. It only the photo-cell 28 or iisisilluminated, then either lamp group 58' or'58' may be illuminated. Ifphoto-cells 88, II are not illuminated, then none of the lamp groups58', 58"

will be lit. Lamp groups 88', 81', however, remain dark. Referring toFigure'l, the portions 55, 58 will be illuminated according to thestencil or to the picture, while the'porticns 88,51 remain dark. Thelighting of portion 58 will .be controlled in the ordinary way, i. e.,by photo-cells controlling switching-devices connected in series withthe lamps of the field portion 58 and a source of alternating 'current,whereby the photo-cells belonging to this field portion are illuminatedthrough a co-ordinated portion of the picture. In such case, the fullline configuration of the lamp field according to Figure 8 is obtained.

then each second half-wave oi the source of current "will pass thedischarge device 11, the.

main 15, lamp groups 88151. discharge devices 81, 88, main 18, back tosource 18, provided that both photo-cells 28, 2| are also illuminated.The lamp groups 58', however, remain dark. Re verting to Figure 7, onelearns that the field portions 58, 81 are, now lit, while the fieldportions 55, 58 remain dark. v The field portion 58 bein under permanentcontrol, as mentioned above, it is obvious that a displayof the fullline configuration shown in'Figure 8 is now performed.

- Itis obvious that the variety of configurations 1 may be increasedthereby that photo-cells", 8| areilluminated at the same time, so thatthe entire lamp field according to Figure 7 is, lit. Then,;however, thenumber of lamps lit will be considerably increased in comparison withthe othertwo configurations; explained on hand of Figures 8 and 9.Howevenusing a source of al- 1 temating current according to the wiringar- 05 rangement of Figure 10, during each half-wave of the alte atingcurrent the same number of lamps will 4 retain the same size as it wouldhave if diflerent "field portions were alternately utilized i'or the.display. In other words, although all theportions 55, 58-,- 51,58 areutilized together with por tion 58 for the display, only portions 55, 58or portions 58', 51, respectively are lit together with portion 58' bythe alternating current. The halfwaves iollowing each other, however,with sufliing to Figure 10. The switches 88, 88, 88 may be in Figure 11.Taking the case that the switches darkening the photo-cells 28, 2|,respectively.

lit and the source 01' current may cient speed, the human eye will notbe aware of s the alternations in the illumination nor will these resultin'flickering. fl

In the wiring arrangement according to 1 18- ure 11, the source ofcurrent 18 is permanently 5 connected by the main 83 with the lampgroups 55, to 51' which are connected in turn with the anodes of theswitching tubes 88 to 88. The cathodes 12, however, are alternatelyconnected with the mains 88, 85, which may in turn be alternatelyconnected with the other terminal of the source 18 by means of a switch88 01 any desired type. The grids 18 of the tubes 88, 81 are connectedto the photo-cell 28, the grids i the tubes 88, 88 to the photo-cell 2|.The grids of tubes 88, 88 are connected with the main 81 by resistors 1|while the grids of tubes 81, 88 v are connected with main 88 byresistors 1|". A switch 88 is provided for alternately connectin main 81or 88 with one terminal of a source of direct current 88, while theother terminal of thissource may either be connected with main Thuseither devices 88, 88 or 81, 88 are blocked by applying to their grids asuitable blocking voltage. Another switch 85 connected with a suitablesource of direct current 85 is provided in such a manner that ablockingvoltage is appliedbetween the grids and cathodes of suchdischarge'devices, which are disconnected by switch 88 from source 18,and by switch 88 a from source 88. A suitablesource of direct current 88is provided for the photo-cells in the same way as for the wiringarrangement accordof any desired type and maybe mechanically connectedor controlled by suitable relays in such way that they establishconnections either according to the full or to the dotted lines shownhave the position shown in full lines, each representing one lamp of theplurality of lamps be- If, however, the photo-cell 8| is illuminated.

longing to the portions 55, 58, 51, 58, respectively of the lamp fieldshown in Figure '1, obviously the lamp groups 58'., 51', are connectedto a the source of current 18. Furthermore, the grids of the switchingdevices 81, 88 connected in series with said lamp groups 58', 51', areconnected 7 with the source 83 by the resistors 1|. The lamp groups 55,58', are disconnected from source 18, go and a blocking voltage isapplied to the grids of j the co-ordinated discharge devices 88, 88,resulting from source 85. Now the lamp groups 58', 81', maybe controlledby illuminating and 88 Reverting to Figure 7, it is obvious that thefield portions 58, 51 are now put into operation. Field portion 58 maybe controlled in the way described in my previous applications mentionedabove. By moving the switches 88, 88 into their dotted positions, thefield portions 55, 58 may be lit, while field portions 58, 51 remaindark. It is to be understood that also in this arrangement dischargedevices may be used-as switches 88, 81, such devices being controlled ina similar way 65 as explained for devices 18, 11 with reference toFigure 10.

g If such discharge devices controlled by photoelectric cells 88. 8|,are used, a film may be provided according to Figure 12. There is shown'a 70 film passing through gate '28 of the projector, containing partpicture, 81 and-margins 88. On one 01' said margins spots 88, I88 areprovided, lying in the line between the source of light of the projectorand the photo-cells 88, 8|. Sup- 78 posing that the dark spot 89 lies infront of the photo-cell 8|, while the light spot I lies in front of thephoto-cell 80, then the latter will be 11- tator ll.

luminated, while the former is darkened. Consequently, the switchescontrolled by photo-cell Bil will be brought or maintained in operativeposition. When on the subsequent frame of the film the spots 99, I00reverse their positions, then photo-cell 8| will be illuminated and theswitches controlled by it brought in operative position.

Instead of controlling switches of the type of discharge tubes in suchoptical-electrical way, mechanical relays may be arranged and suitablycontrolled in a well-known manner.

In Figure 13 same reference numbers indicate similar parts as in Figures10 and 11. Instead of using separate make and break devices for everylamp or lamp group, pertaining to the various field portions, there isprovided a single switching device for each two lamp groups belonging todifferent field portions. Thus, in this example the switching devicesand the lamps of one or the other field portion are connected by acommuthe switches moved. Either the shutter of the.

projector may be closed for this purp se for an appropriate period orone or more blank black picture frames may be inserted into the sequenceof picture frames forming a film. Since only fractions of a second arerequired for such switching, the resulting darkening of the screen iseither not visible or not disturbing in practice.

It is to be understood that the lamps, or the lamp'groups 55' to 58',referred to in the drawings, represent a single lamp, or lamp group, orthe plurality of lamps arranged in any portion of the lamp field inquestion.

It is further to be understood that the inventionis not limited to anyof the examples given In the position of the commutators hereinbefore,but its broadest aspect is to belearned from the appended claims.

area of said stencils, individual first switch means 10 in' a first sideof each lamp group, other second switch means each common to selectedpluralities of the second sides of the lamp groups, certain of the lightsensitive devices each being connected to control a selected pluralityof said first switch means, certain other light sensitive devices eachbeing connected to control individually one of said second switch means,and light projection means including said stencils for operatingselected ones of the light sensitive devices. i

2. A display system comprising a bank of lamp groups having circuitconnections individual to the groups, said lamp groups arranged on saidbank in a plurality of areas of individual geometrical configuration,said areas arranged relative to each other so that differentselectlons'of numbers of said areas smaller than their total numberresult in displays of different geometrical configuration, individualfirst'switch means in a first side of each lamp group, other secondswitch means each common to the second sides of the lamp groupspertaining to one of said difi'erent selections, a bank of lightsensitive devicesand a series of stencils controlling them, certain ofthe 35 stencils, and light projection means including said stencils foroperating selected ones of said light sensitive devices.

KURT ROSENBERG.

